WARWICKSHIRE will play at a home outground for the first time in eight years when they face Glamorgan in a Twenty20 at Rugby School on July 6 next year.

The Bears have not ventured outside Edgbaston since Stratford-upon-Avon hosted championship matches in 2004 and 2005.

But Rugby School has provided an impressive venue for 2nd XI cricket in recent seasons so next year will host first-team county cricket for the first time.

The school is a very welcome – and historic – arrival to the county scene. It hosted a match against the MCC as far back as 1841.

Warwickshire’s 2013 fixture list takes them to several away outgrounds. In the championship, they miss out on Lord’s and The Oval as they will face Middlesex and Surrey at Uxbridge and Guildford respectively.

The Bears will start their title defence with successive home games against Derbyshire and Durham before facing away games at Somerset and Sussex.

Due to the ICC Champions Trophy being held in England next summer, the schedulers have been unable to spare a window in the season specifically for the T20.

Coaches and players are not keen on the concept of alternating between formats but they will have to deal with that for part of next summer.

In July, for example, two days after the T20 at Rugby, Warwickshire will face Middlesex in the championship over four days at Uxbridge then, next day, revert to T20 and the derby with Worcestershire at New Road.

Their 40-over campaign will begin at home to Kent on Bank Holiday Monday, May 6.